


For Better, For Worse

by KingsNeverDie100



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 1987, Boys Kissing, California, Established Relationship, Fluff, Inspired by Freddie Mercury, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Naked Cuddling, Post-Season/Series 02, Romance, Sort of Proposal, except not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-09-01 11:46:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16764502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingsNeverDie100/pseuds/KingsNeverDie100
Summary: “You know, Freddie Mercury and his boyfriend wear wedding bands.”“Really?” Steve asked. He didn’t push for anything. Billy would explain if he wanted to.“Mm,” he responded. “I mean, it’s not like their married for real. Obviously they can’t get married, but… I guess they pretend or something.” Billy kept playing with Steve’s fingers. Steve noticed how he paid extra attention to Steve’s ringfinger.





	For Better, For Worse

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the fact the Freddie Mercury and his boyfriend/husband Jim Hutton really did wear wedding bands in their relationship. 
> 
> I know it's super short, but I got the idea in my head, and I just had to write it down before I forgot about it. I posted this straight after writing it. Please tell me of you find any errors so I can correct them!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this! Love you <3

It’s 1987. Billy and Steve have been together for a couple of years now. As soon as they both had graduated and turned eighteen, they’d said goodbye to the ones they loved and fucked right off out of Hawkins. They packed all their shit into the Camaro, made sure they had enough money for gas, and drove to California.

It was a rough time at first. They slept in the car for a while to save money, then they got a shitty, tiny apartment which barely fit the two of them, but it was still better than the car. Food was limited, but they didn’t starve. Much. Eventually they found jobs. Dead end jobs, of course, but it was money.

Things weren’t perfect, but they had each other, and that was pretty good. They could hold hands in the streets here and no one looked at them funny. That was pretty good too.

Billy had been thinking about looking into local colleges sometime soon. Steve thought that was a great idea. Billy was the smartest person he knew, and he would never forgive himself if he and their relationship held Billy back from doing something with that big brain of his, just because Steve was a failure who couldn’t provide for them.

Billy would smack him playfully over the head and tell him that was Steve’s dad talking, and he shouldn’t listen to a single word the old fucker said.

They were laying in bed one night, naked (they both prefered to cuddle with as much skin to skin contact as possible), side by side with their hands entwined and their heads close together. Steve felt his boyfriend’s breath on his cheek, and Billy was playing with his fingers. When he spoke, it was in a soft, unsure voice that Steve in high school never would have imagined Billy Hargrove capable of.

“You know, Freddie Mercury and his boyfriend wear wedding bands.”

Billy loved Queen, that was no secret, but he usually didn’t go around just stating random facts about its members. Also, he didn’t usually say things that he didn’t think were important.

“Really?” Steve asked. He didn’t push for anything. Billy would explain if he wanted to.

“Mm,” he responded. “I mean, it’s not like their married for real. Obviously they can’t get married, but… I guess they pretend or something.” Billy kept playing with Steve’s fingers. Steve noticed how he paid extra attention to Steve’s ringfinger.

“Maybe it’s to show how they see each other, you know, how much they love each other, even if the law says they can’t,” he suggested, and moved to get an arm in under Billy’s head. He pulled Billy close to him and breathed in the scent of his hair. Steve could smell his coconut shampoo, a hint of his hairspray, and saltwater.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought too,” Billy mumbled into his neck.

They were quiet for a while. They had a window open, because the nights had been hot lately. A car horn sounded in the distance, and if they listened real good they could hear the sound of the ocean. They both had the day off tomorrow. In the morning Steve would suggest they go swimming. Billy always looked beautiful against the backdrop of the ocean, with his tanned skin exposed, his golden locks swaying in the breeze, and his blue eyes reflecting the sun.

“Would you wear one?”

Billy’s voice pulled him back from thoughts of tomorrow. “Sorry, what?”

Billy fidgeted a bit, but remained with his face hidden in Steve’s neck. He pleasantly drug his nails up and down Steve’s chest, right over his heart.

“Would you wear a wedding band? Like, if I asked you to?” There’s that soft, unsure voice again. Steve usually thinks it’s cute, but also not, because he doesn’t want Billy to feel unsure about talking to him about anything.

“Are you asking me to?”

The truth is, Steve would marry the fuck out of Billy Hargrove the second he was asked to, if he was asked to. He loved that boy more than words could ever express, and he didn’t give a rat’s ass about what the law said, or what  _ anyone _ said. 

Billy’s quiet for a little while longer. Steve doesn’t think it’s because he regretted what he said. It was more like he was gathering strength and courage to say something more.

“Yeah, I’m asking,” Billy whispers eventually. “I mean, not if you don’t want to. I just thought it might be-”

Steve kisses him. First soft, then with lots of tongue, then soft again, just like he knows Billy liked it. Billy whimpers into the kiss, and runs a hand through Steve’s hair, messing it up horrible, but Steve doesn’t care.

He pulls back, but is still close enough that he can feel Billy’s breath on his lips. “I want to. I think that’s a great idea.” Now he feels Billy’s shy smile against his own mouth.

“Really?”

Steve kisses him again. “Really. Just as long as it’s not like, a way to be more like Freddie Mercury or something. Like a way to be cool, or whatever.”

Billy shakes his head and kisses him back. “Nah, pretty boy, this would be because I want to world to know you’re mine, and I’ll break their hand if they touch you.”

Steve huffs and laughs. Gone was the shy boy from ten seconds ago. Back was the cocky bastard Steve knows and loves. “Right back at ya, blondie. You’re mine, and like I said, I think it’s a great idea. It’d be a way for me to show off the bombshell I landed.” He bites Billy on the neck as his boyfriend laughs at him. Billy opens his legs, and Steve falls in between them.

“Alright, deal. I’ll show off you, and you’ll show off me. Sound good, baby?”

Steve looks at him. He iss perfect. Well, maybe not objectively perfect, but he iss perfect to Steve, and that is the most important thing. Steve can’t wait to spend his life with Billy, and have other people know about it.

As soon as they have enough money, they’d buy matching wedding bands. It doesn’t have to be from a jeweler, and they don’t have to be expensive. The important thing is that the wearers were happy with them, and know what they meant. And Billy and Steve would know. Every time they touched the rings, every time they saw them, they’d look at each other, or think about each other, and they’d smile and they’d  _ know _ .

Steve kisses Billy’s smiling mouth again. “Yeah, sounds good.”


End file.
